


Inspiration

by turtleeden



Category: Persona 5, Persona Series
Genre: AnnWeek2020, Gen, Original Character(s), Post-Canon, Post-Game Adventures, happy ann week all!, this is a good time for an ann solo!
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-11-09
Updated: 2020-11-09
Packaged: 2021-03-09 03:01:47
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 6,202
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/27463861
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/turtleeden/pseuds/turtleeden
Summary: Ann gets approached by a younger model who is seeking her advice about becoming a better model. While the proposition initially surprises Ann, she happily takes this girl up on her offer and takes her under her wing, becoming this girl's modeling senpai. What follows is an experience that Ann is surely not going to forget.Day 1 Prompt: Fashion/Trends
Comments: 1
Kudos: 10
Collections: Ann Takamaki Week 2020





	Inspiration

“Um, excuse me! You’re Ann Takamaki, right?”

Ann turned her head towards the unfamiliar voice that was calling to her, curious as to what this person wanted. The voice belonged to a young girl, probably a few years younger than Ann was. She was a cute, skinny thing. She had a round face with cheeks touched with foundation, pale skin with hardly a blemish to be seen, black hair that rested upon her shoulders with bouncing curls upon the ends and neatly cut bangs upon her forehead. Ann figured that she was a fellow model that was working on this photoshoot with her, but she noticed that this girl looked at her as if she had stars in her eyes.

“Uh, yeah! That’s me!” Ann answered, flashing a friendly smile at her. “Hey, you’re new, right? Guess we’re gonna be working together on this shoot! So, what’s your name?”

“Oh, sorry! I’m Airi Miura. I just got signed into this agency,” Airi then politely bowed towards Ann, the ends of her hair sliding down her shoulders as she lowered her head. “It’s an honor to finally meet you!”

“Hey, hey! No need for all that! C’mon, stand up.” Ann assured, gesturing for Airi to rise. She was never a big fan of formality anyways. 

“S-Sorry!” Airi apologized, despite the fact that she was still bowing. “I hope that we can get along! I’m sorry for putting you on the spot like this, but I’ve always been a big fan of yours…!”

“Whoa, what? Really?” Ann asked, surprised.

“Yes! I, um… still have my own copy of your first major magazine issue! It’s one of my treasures.” Airi answered as she straightened her body up.

“The one from Vague!? W-Whoa, that’s old. That got published at the end of my second year in high school!” Ann gasped. Oh yes, she remembers that interview and photoshoot for Vague magazine well. It was the symbolic start of her modeling career, and she was very candid about who inspired her, and how she hoped to inspire others as well. Looking back, it was the first magazine interview Ann had that she was truly candid and passionate about her career and goals. For that reason, it was very special to her. 

“But anyways… It’s a little embarrassing to hear someone gush about my old stuff, but you really flatter me, Airi!” Ann replied cheerfully. “...Uh, I can call you that, right?”

“Oh, by all means!” Airi assured, a light blush forming upon her fair features. “So, um… since we’ll be working together, do you think that you could teach me a few things about modeling, Ann-senpai?”

“...?!”

Ann’s mind stopped as if a record in her head abruptly stopped playing.

Airi… She did call her that, right?

“S-Senpai!?” Ann screeched in her shock.

“I-Is that bad?” Airi asked, looking bewildered.

“N-No! It’s just a little weird for me to hear, that’s all!” Ann sputtered, shaking her head vigorously. Being called ‘Senpai’ in high school was one thing. That was normal. But Ann never realized that she would actually become someone’s modeling senpai! In hindsight, she was probably making a bigger deal out of it than it actually was, but it sure as hell felt like a big deal to Ann!

In all seriousness… it’s true. Though it didn’t feel that long to Ann, it’s already been about three years since she decided to take her modeling career seriously. And as such, she would be around long enough for other up-and-coming models to consider her as their modeling senpai. Ann has learned a lot about being a model since then, and at this point, she could give some helpful tips to the green models if asked. That fact in itself was amazing to Ann. She didn’t think that she would eventually stick around the industry long enough to even give pointers! If this was Ann the part-time model being asked this, she’d probably wouldn’t be that confident giving tips to others, especially since she was still learning about herself and what she really wanted to do at the time.

But now? Ann felt like she could do it, her initial shock aside. It also helped that Airi seemed like an earnest young girl, unlike a certain rival of hers who called her ‘Senpai’ when they first met. So Ann cleared her throat and nodded to Airi enthusiastically.

“Sure! I could give you a few pointers! You can stick by me through this session, okay?”

“Ah…!! Thank you so much, Ann-senpai!” Airi thanked, bowing to Ann gratefully.

“Y-You don’t have to bow…” Ann reminded her, feeling a sweat upon her brow. This was going to take a while to get used to…

\-----

“Alright! Ann-chan and Airi-chan, you two are going to be the focus during this session,” Said the staff member in charge of this photoshoot session. “Are both of you ready?”

“Of course!” Ann said confidently.

“E-Er, yes…!” Airi gasped.

The theme for today’s photoshoot was ‘The Charm of the Approachable Woman.’ Easy enough to do, right? It helped that Ann was naturally a friendly person, so doing poses for this kind of theme was child’s play to her at this point in her career. Be that as it may, even the seemingly easy themes can be hard for a model who was too caught up in her own head. Ann learned that the hard way. And it seemed like Airi was going through that particular lesson as well as the photoshoot went on. Airi didn’t look nearly as relaxed as Ann did. Try as she might to not look nervous under the camera, Airi still looked pretty nervous as she struck her pose.

“Airi-chan… you look so tense. You think you can look more relaxed?” One of the photographers asked from behind the camera.

“O-Oh! I’m sorry!” Airi apologized, fretting over her blunder. She held a hand to her chest and started doing deep breaths in order to relax herself, but even after she did her breathing, she still looked nervous as she leaned her back against the railing they were posing against. Ann was careful not to let her own expression fall while under the camera’s lens, but she knew that Airi was struggling. So Ann decided to help her out a bit.

“Hey, Airi? What do you usually do when you walk down the street?” she asked.

“Huh…?” Airi looked at Ann quizzically when she asked that. “What does that have to do with anything, Ann-senpai?”

“The theme’s approachability, right? That can mean you can look casual in these shots, like when you’re walking down the street!” Ann explained. “See? Watch.”

Ann put one of her legs in front of the other as if she was going to step forward. She put a thoughtful finger to her lips as she turned her head to the side, looking as though something caught her attention. She formed a beaming smile as she kept her pose, and that made her whole demeanor look warm and approachable under the camera’s legs. It was such a subtle shift, yet the cameramen went nuts as they rapidly took their photos.

“Yes, that’s it! Beautiful, Ann-chan!” The photographer praised as he took his shots. “Could you look over here in the opposite direction? Right at the camera?”

“You got it!” Ann said, shifting her head towards the camera in question. She shifted her body so that she was bending forward, as if peering at the camera with great interest. The smile she wore was notably softer, but she made her eyes wider in compensation. Again, she looked as though something caught her attention, but Ann’s demeanor held a bit more curiosity within it. And that added to her charm she displayed before. Once again, the cameramen went nuts.

“Gorgeous! That’s the way, Ann-chan!” The photographer praised again as he took his pictures.

“Incredible…” Airi murmured as she watched Ann work. “How did you do that, Ann-senpai?”

“Like I said, it’s like what you do while you’re walking down the street,” Ann answered. “I just pretended like I was walking down the street, and I saw some cute shoes on display! Or just now, I pretended like I was seeing somebody making a delicious crepe by hand! So with these poses, I just acted like what I would do at that moment. No need to think so hard about it.”

“I see… that makes sense.” Airi said, nodding along in understanding.

“It’ll be okay! Just imagine that you’re walking down the street to your favorite place in town, and just act out what you would do at that moment!” Ann suggested.

“Okay… I’ll give it a shot!” Airi replied. As she took another breath, Airi put her hand over her mouth delicately as she smiled a pleasant smile. She shifted her body a little towards the camera and giggled as if she heard an amusing joke. Ann had to admit, Airi looked really cute at that moment. It was very ‘girl next door’, and as such, it would definitely be considered ‘approachable’. The cameramen then took their pictures with enthusiasm as Airi tried desperately to keep her sweet, casual pose.

“There we go, Airi-chan! That wasn’t so hard!” The same cameraman praised. “Now, we need a shot of the two of you together! Keep your focus now!”

“...Okay. I can do this…” Airi murmured to herself, but Ann gently placed her hand upon her shoulder.

“Hey, it’ll be fine. I’ll help you out if you need it.” Ann murmured back to her. “For now, let’s ‘walk down the street’ together, okay?”

“Ah, sure… Thank you, Ann-senpai.” Airi thanked, looking a little more relieved now.

\-----

Airi was joining Ann in another photoshoot today. Once she had caught sight of her, Ann gladly beckoned her over so that they could chat while they waited for the crew to set up. Airi was elated by the invitation, of course. Whatever Ann spoke about, whether it was modeling tips or her favorite things to do, Airi absorbed everything she said like a sponge. It tickled Ann to know how eager Airi was to learn from her, partially because playing the part of ‘modeling senpai’ was still a very new experience for her. Even so, Ann planned to do the best she could about giving any advice she could give Airi. She’s just starting to find her footing, after all. All Ann can do is give her a little push towards finding her own style.

“So, Airi, do you practice your catwalk?” Ann asked amidst their conversation.

“Yes, I try to. I often try to balance my school books on my head to practice my walk,” Airi answered. “My goal was always to not have any of them fall.”

“That’s a good way of doing it! But, hey. Ever try walking down the street like it’s a runway?” Ann then asked.

“I… never thought of doing that! I always get scared that I’ll get in everyone’s way if I do that…” Airi answered sheepishly, her cheeks tinged pink.

“Yeah, I’ll admit. It can look silly to some people that’s just watching, but it’s also good practice for you to do! One of these days when you’re walking home or something, try and practice doing your walk by walking from one point to another. Like a streetlight or something.” Ann suggested.

“...I’ll try that sometime, Ann-senpai.” Airi replied, a bit half-heartedly. Probably because the mere idea was embarrassing to her. Ann didn’t blame her for thinking like that, honestly. It CAN get really embarrassing to see random strangers gawking at you while you’re practicing your catwalk. That being said, Ann also knew that it could help Airi a lot, so how can she convince her that practicing like that was a good thing for her? Ann took a moment to think to herself before she snapped her fingers, cooking up an idea that she just knew would work. It was storytime for Airi!

“This one time, when I was still in high school, I decided to practice my runway walks one afternoon,” Ann began. “While I was practicing, someone nearby joined me! She was some girl that I never met, but we ended up catwalking down the street together!”

“H-Huh? Really?! That actually happens?!” Airi asked in shock.

“Trust me, I was surprised too! But if I ended up mentioning it out loud, it’d just be really, really awkward. So we just kept walking!” Ann laughed, twirling the ends of her hair with her finger. “I couldn’t help but wonder if she thought I was cool, since she noticed me and all… the thought still kinda makes me blush whenever I remember it.” 

“I-I’m sure you were, Ann-senpai!” Airi assured profusely. “You always look really cool whenever you walk down the runway, so I’m sure even when practicing, you looked really cool!”

“Hehe, thanks! But it wasn’t always like that. Back then, I hardly put my heart into modeling. Honestly, modeling wasn’t even on my mind when I practiced my walk then. I was totally thinking of something else,” Ann admitted to her. “But later on down the line, I started to practice my walk more and more when I decided to take modeling more seriously. To be the number one model in the world… that was my new goal, and it’s something that can’t be done overnight. It takes a lot of practice, exercise, changing your diet and poise… a lot of stuff. It’s something that I continue to pour my whole heart into.”

“Senpai…” Airi trailed off, her eyes growing wide.

“Whoops! Went off on a little tangent there!” Ann laughed, giving herself a light slap on her own forehead. “I guess the short answer is; don’t be afraid to practice wherever you can, Airi. If you find an opportunity to do so, then just go for it! Doesn’t matter if it’s totally embarrassing if someone happens to see you practice or not. It’ll help you out in the long run, so just keep at it!”

“Of… Of course, Ann-senpai! I’ll keep that in mind!” Airi promised, nodding vigorously. Ann had to giggle to herself there. Sometimes Airi was just too cute with that earnest side of hers. 

“Alright, people! Gather ‘round! All the models that are featured on set, make your way to your makeup team!” One of the staff members called out as he walked across the set.

Ann looked towards the staff member in question and nodded to herself as she watched him go. Break time was over, she supposed. She then switched her focus over from the staff member to Airi, then flashed a friendly smile her way.

“Back to work, I guess. We can always pick up on beauty tips and modeling advice later.” she said.

“I guess so…” Airi said, putting her hands behind her back. “But before I forget… Thank you for the advice you gave earlier, Ann-senpai.”

“Hey, no problem! That’s just what I do as your modeling senpai!” Ann assured her enthusiastically. Geez, even saying those words out loud has gotten her all excited. Maybe she’s getting a little too into this ‘senpai’ thing...

\-----

“Oh, what’s this? I thought those rumors were nothing but a joke, but you’re seriously playing ‘teacher’ now?!”

Ann immediately grimaced at the sound of Mika’s voice piercing her ears. She didn’t even need to look up to see Mika wearing that familiar sneer upon her face. She knew it was there in all of its wicked glory. With a shake of her head, Ann turned to face Mika, who was dressed for the part of today’s photoshoot. She knew that Mika was one of the models that were called in to this shoot, along with Airi and Ann herself of course, but even though Mika hasn’t been pulling stunts like the one she did back when Ann was _really_ starting out, she was nonetheless known to be quite… difficult to work with. 

Ann wasn’t scared of her, of course. Airi, though… she might be a different story. If Ann wasn’t careful, this could turn a little more messier than it needed to be…

“You’re… you’re Mika-senpai, right? I’ve seen you in a lot of magazines in the past…!” Airi commented nervously.

“Well, duh. Of course you have. Everyone in the business knows that my covershots sell like crazy. I’ve worked hard to be in such high demand, you know,” Mika replied smugly. “You know what’s a real surprise? This dimwit over here acting like some sort of fashion guru! I haven’t had a good laugh like this in a while!”

“Yeah, yeah. Laugh it off. Like you could do better!” Ann retorted, rolling her eyes at Mika. “You’re too high maintenance to even give pointers to other models anyway!”

“Hah! Like I’d ever do something like that!” Mika scoffed. “I’m aiming for the number-one spot, you know. Why give myself more obstacles in my way?”

“Least you’re being honest about it this time…” Ann grumbled. Mika’s words can be scathing, but at least Airi didn’t have to see her put on an act like Mika did with Ann so long ago.

“That being said… I would do a hell of a lot better than you if I even gave a damn about giving free advice,” Mika then added, putting a hand on her hip as she looked Ann over. “For example… Did you even tell this little girl what the current dieting trend is? Or the best Yoga exercises to tone up your body? You don’t even pay attention to that, do you?”

“Ugh, shuddup! That’s none of your business!” Ann snapped. “You do things your way, and I’ll do things my way. And that includes how I help out my modeling kouhai!”

While Ann and Mika were bickering at each other, one of the staff made their way over to where they were standing. Once he got close to them, he cleared his throat once, making both Ann and Mika turn towards him in reaction.

“Ladies? Let’s try and be civil here. We’re all here to put on a show, aren’t we? If there’s any trouble, we could always call in someone else for your convenience.” he said. The staff member eyed Mika in particular, making her recoil. Ah, it seems that there was someone on staff that was familiar with her antics. That’s good… but Ann couldn’t be lenient. Even she would get kicked out of the set if she let Mika get to her head.

“Haha… thanks, but everything’s fine here!” Ann hurriedly said, forcing a nervous smile.

“That’s right! W-We’re all here to do our best! So there’s no need to worry!” Mika hurriedly added, flashing a weak smile of her own.

“...Hmm. If you say so.” The staff member said, before he walked away. Both Ann and Mika heaved a sigh of relief. That was close…! If that argument got any more intense, then Ann had a feeling that they wouldn’t just get off with a warning!

“Um… Mika-senpai…?”

Airi spoke up then, though her voice was quiet. Ann turned her attention towards Airi, who looked a little… intimidated just now. But even though she looked scared, especially when Mika glanced towards her, Airi continued to speak.

“I… I appreciate hearing what you mentioned, but… I’m already learning a lot from Ann-senpai,” she said timidly. “Learning about dieting trends and exercises is necessary, and I’d be happy to hear about those too… but I’m actually getting a good foot in modeling thanks to what Ann-senpai is teaching me…! S-So…”

“Airi…” Ann trailed off, touched that Airi would stick up for her like this. She’s been off to the side for the duration of this conversation, so for her to stand up for Ann like that… that must’ve taken a little courage on her part to do. Ann was appreciative of that.

Mika, however, did not look amused. 

“....”

She looked over Airi once. Her eyes were scrutinizing as she slowly looked at Airi from top to bottom. Once she was done, Mika narrowed her eyes sharply as she scoffed, clearly not impressed by the younger model.

“Ugh… Amateur.” she spat.

“Huh…?” Airi questioned, confused.

“You really want some advice that badly? Here’s mine: Go home.” Mika hissed.

“Ah...?!” Airi’s eyes grew wide as she gasped, clearly not expecting that response at all.

“What!? Hey!” Ann snapped, glaring at Mika in her outrage. “What’s the big idea, Mika!?”

“This industry’s overflowing with models who don’t even get anywhere ‘cause they don’t have the gall to take chances. Do you really think that you can get your career off the ground with that little mousey act of yours? Get serious.” Mika said coldly.

“I-It’s not an act…!” Airi cried, but from the shrill of her voice, it sounded more like a shriek.

“Then you’re even more stupid than I thought!” Mika snapped. “You don’t get your chances by being all cutesy and timid all the time. You might as well quit now.”

“Uh-huh. Pot meet kettle,” Ann interjected flatly, crossing her arms as she stepped forward in front of Airi. Airi was willing to stand up for Ann before, so it was only natural that Ann do the same for her. “And who was the one who was constantly acting ‘cute’ to me just so she could show me up in a shoot? ‘Cause I remember that!”

“Pfft, like that’s the same thing!” Mika retorted. “First off, you were dumb enough to fall for that act! Second, you know damn well I had to make my own luck to succeed in this business. Sure, I acted like a cute little suck-up, but at least I was willing to make something out of it. Can Greenie over there say the same?”

“Make something out of it…” Airi inaudibly murmured to herself, averting her gaze from the two rivals as they bickered.

“...Ugh, whatever. For all of your ‘sucking-up,’ you still got caught for doing something as lame as screwing with other models’ schedules. ‘Cause I didn’t forget all that either,” Ann countered. “You can talk big all you want, Mika, but don’t talk down to the new models! Especially when they’re just starting out!”

“Oh yeah? And what’s _she_ gonna do about it?” Mika questioned, pointing at Airi with a sharp, manicured finger. “If she can’t take the heat without her precious ‘Senpai’ backing her up, then she should just go home now. I would say prove it… but it’s not like she has the backbone to even talk back.”

“....” Airi only shied away from Mika and hid herself behind Ann, not wanting to engage any further. Mika rolled her eyes and turned her back towards Ann and Airi, believing that her point has been proven.

“Tch, what a waste of time. I’ve got a shoot to get ready for.” she grumbled disdainfully. Mika walked away from the two with a deafening ‘clack’ to her heels, leaving behind a negatively-charged air around them. Ann huffed to herself as she watched Mika walk away as if nothing happened. She then shook her head and turned her focus towards Airi, who was silent behind her.

“Sorry about Mika, Airi,” Ann apologized, rubbing the back of her head. “She can be a real piece of work to deal with, so don’t pay any attention to what she says, okay?”

“...Right. I-I’m alright, Ann-senpai,” Airi said half-heartedly. She was trying her best to smile, but it was obvious that she was still shaken up by the whole ordeal. “Mika-senpai is… actually kind of scary, huh?”

“...Hehe. Yeah, she’s definitely something all right. I remember having a real hard time working with her starting out. I’ll admit, there’s a part of me that admires her ‘cause she reminds of the female villains that I used to watch when I was a kid. She does work really hard as a model… but she also works a nerve,” Ann then shook her head before pumping her fist in the air, winking at Airi in the process. “But the two of us aren’t gonna let her stop us from doing our job, right? We can take her, no problem!”

“Ann-senpai…” Airi breathed as she looked up at Ann. Somehow Airi regained a little bit of color in her cheeks. Ann smiled at that, taking that as a good sign.

“C’mon! Let’s show everyone what we can really do!” Ann cheered enthusiastically, hoping to pump both Airi and herself up for the upcoming shoot. With that cheer in the air, she headed towards the set, beckoning Airi to come with her. “Onto the show!”

“Y… Y-Yes…! I’ll do my best!” Airi exclaimed, nodding with determination as she followed close behind Ann.

\-----

Sunday… there were no photoshoots or interviews today, and Airi had the day off from school. 

Ann thought it would be a good idea to spend some time with her outside of work, just to hang out. Luckily, Airi accepted her invitation, and the two of them spent the day browsing and shopping in Shibuya with smoothies in their hands. Apparently, smoothies were one of Airi’s favorite things to drink. A nice choice, considering that one of the smoothie stands in the underground mall was a big hit with people. Once they spent most of the day window shopping, Ann took the time to take Airi out to the diner in Central Street, a place where she often stopped at with her friends whenever she wanted to wind down a little from a day of excitement.

“Ehehe… my friends and I usually stop by here sometimes too,” Airi commented with a soft smile. “I didn’t know that you liked this spot too, Ann-senpai.”

“You kidding? You wouldn’t believe how many times I’ve hung out with my friends here back when I was still in high school,” Ann laughed. “It’s a good place to relax.”

“I agree. This is a nice spot.” Airi said, nodding confidently. Ann smiled kindly at her, noting how relaxed she was. Thinking that this was a good opportunity, she changed the subject.

“Mind if I ask you something, Airi?” Ann asked.

“Oh? Of course, Ann-senpai.” Airi replied.

“Why did you want to be a model?”

Airi went quiet for a moment. She hummed to herself thoughtfully as she tapped her fingers against the table’s surface, thinking about what to say first. Ann could sense that Airi was initially nervous about what she was going to say, but despite that, the younger model eventually raised her head and looked Ann in the eye. Whatever she was going to say, Ann had a feeling that it was going to be important.

“I… I was never really that good with talking to people,” Airi began. “And I never wanted to stand out either. I usually try to stay quiet and be nice to everybody, ‘cause then I wouldn’t get into trouble or get ignored. I’ve dealt with that enough growing up, so I didn’t want it to get worse.”

“...Why’s that?” Ann asked carefully.

“Because of my family.” Airi answered softly.

“Really? Are your parents famous?

“Not… really. My dad’s a fashion journalist, which was how I was able to get a few part-time jobs modeling before the agency officially signed me. He’s not _that_ famous compared to his peers, but even so… they respect him. My mother, though… people tend to focus on her more when they find out about her. She’s actually not from this country originally. She was born in Seoul.”

“...!”

_Oh._

Now Ann clearly understood why Airi didn’t want to stand out. In fact, she understood Airi’s struggle very well.

“We try not to make a big fuss out of it," Airi continued, but her expression noticeably changed into something more... withdrawn as she talked. It made Ann a little sad to see that from her. "If we don’t draw attention to it, then it’ll be no problem fitting in and getting along with everybody. It really shouldn’t be a big deal, but… I do remember the looks from some of our past neighbors that did know about me and my mom. They pretend that it doesn’t bother them but I eventually learned that they would rather not deal with us if it can be avoided. It’s just the ‘polite’ way of shunning people. And… sometimes it gets uncomfortable when I can sense it.”

“....” 

Ann remained quiet, but she couldn’t help but frown to herself as she listened to Airi. Those people that Airi mentioned… Ann knew a lot of those kinds of people back when she was in middle school. Adults that would ignore her because of her looks, kids that would call her names behind her back, those who would spread rumors about her without a care… she could imagine all of those people in Airi’s story. That desire to fit in despite it all… Ann completely understood that feeling. If she had never met Shiho then… a part of Ann would probably still look for that desire in the wrong places.

“But when I was in middle school, I saw this issue of Vague on the magazine stand while I was on my way home… and there you were on the cover, Ann-senpai,” Airi continued, smiling a little. “I was wondering to myself… ‘Who is that? She’s so pretty…!’ So I wanted to skim through the magazine so that I could see more photos of this girl. I was really into it. This girl was the complete opposite of me. She’s different and she stood out a lot, but… I had the feeling that with her, it wasn’t such a bad thing.”

“Airi…”

“Things changed when I actually took the time to read the interview instead of just staring at the pictures. I read about how you came to be a model in the first place and what you valued… I even read about the two most important people in your life… how they were your ‘rays of light’. After reading that interview, I realized that you weren’t the complete opposite of me after all. Even though we looked different and had different families, you were really the closest thing like me out there. And to see someone that was actually so much like me say that she wanted to be a ‘ray of light’ for others, I thought to myself… ‘I want that. I want to be that.’”

“Ah…!” Ann’s eyes grew wide as she gasped in her surprise. Did she hear Airi correctly? Was she dreaming? She knew that Airi was a big fan of hers, which in itself floored her, but little did she know that it was actually so much more than that.

Could it be that… Ann actually inspired someone…?

“I guess this is a roundabout way of saying that… you’re the reason I wanted to be a model, Ann-senpai,” Airi said gratefully. “I studied how to walk the runway and exercise, and looked up proper beauty tips, ‘cause I wanted to be like that girl I saw in that magazine. I’m nowhere near as confident as she is quite yet, and I’m not that skilled in owning the camera or bringing life to the clothes I wear yet, but… little by little, I feel like I’m getting closer to that ideal. After all, I officially got signed to an agency! And the person who I admired is helping me herself. I finally feel like I’m on my way.”

“....” Ann’s eyes began to glisten as she teared up. She sniffed to herself a bit as she quickly swiped at the corner of her eyes, attempting to catch any stray tears from running down her face. Eventually her strong emotions betrayed her, and she began to cry. Ann was so touched by Airi’s story, and how she played a big part in it without ever realizing it. Hearing that she actually inspired someone to take up modeling felt… incredible. And not just that, she resonated with someone on such a personal level too. It was a feeling so powerful that she couldn’t even describe it. 

Ann had always said that she wanted to inspire others on her way to becoming the number one model in the world. That she wanted to take all of the insults she’s endured and all the difficulties that she’s experienced in stride. Her desire to become a ray of light for others came true in one girl. That alone told Ann that taking her modeling career seriously was the right decision to make after all.

“...Hehe.”

“Ann-senpai…?” Airi asked, looking concerned as she watched Ann cry. Ann shook her head as she smiled softly, still wiping at the corners of her eyes.

“I’m alright. It’s just… you don’t know how happy I am to hear all of that…!” she said, sniffling a little more as her smile grew. “Thanks, Airi… for telling me this.”

“I should be the one thanking you, Ann-senpai,” Airi replied in turn. “You’ve been helping me out so much… before and after we’ve met. And I know that I’ll continue to grow as a model thanks to your advice. I’ll take all that I’ve learned… and make something out of it, and I’ll do it my way.”

“Yeah…! That’s the way…!” Ann cheered, nodding enthusiastically.

\-----

Slowly, but surely… Airi was starting to find her footing.

Ann looked on as it was Airi’s turn to be featured on today’s photoshoot. She looked adorable with her little page boy hat, flowy yellow shirt, and long dark blue jeans as she leaned against the wall behind her with a bright smile. Airi may have struggled a little bit to keep her various poses up in-between shots, but at least she doesn’t look as tense as she did when they first started working together. She looked a little more confident in her pose and demeanor, and that little bit of growth from her will really make her photos shine.

“And… that’ll do it! Great work on this session, Airi-chan!” the cameraman said.

“Okay…! Thank you!” Airi thanked, bowing her head to the staff. Once the crowd started to clear out a little, Airi caught sight of Ann and made her way over to where she was standing. Ann made sure to greet Airi with a cheerful smile, proud of the work she did today.

“Awesome job! You really gave it your all out there, Airi!” she complimented.

“Thank you, Ann-senpai!” Airi thanked, smiling back at her. “Honestly… it was a little tough standing on the bike rack like that for several minutes, but… I feel like I did pretty good overall.”

“That’s the spirit!” Ann cheered, clasping her hands together. “The way you’re improving, you’ll definitely be one of the models to watch out for, so keep up the good work!”

“Hearing you say that makes me happy,” Airi commented, her expression gentle. “I’ll keep working to improve, Ann-senpai. I’ll keep up my studies and make myself shine… so I can walk on the runway besides you with pride. I’ll prove Mika-senpai and the other naysayers wrong… so much so that they won’t be able to ignore me again.”

“...Good answer.” Ann praised, nodding firmly. Airi was definitely on her way now… She used to be a lot more withdrawn despite her earnest nature… now she had the spark of a true model in her eyes. It was such a surreal, overwhelming feeling to Ann, knowing that she played a part in finding that spark in Airi’s eyes. Was this feeling pride? Yes… it must be. Ann felt a little pride herself over seeing the beginning of Airi’s true growth. 

That being said… Ann can’t start underestimating her just because she’s been learning from her. No, that just gives her more reason to be fired up.

“But don’t think that I’ll let you pass me by easily!” Ann then added with a determined tone to her voice. “I’m aiming for the number one spot in the world… you may be my trusty kouhai, Airi, but you’re gonna have to fight me with beauty fair and square like all the rest!”

“Ann-senpai…” Airi trailed off, surprised at Ann’s sudden declaration. But despite her moment of surprise, Airi’s smile returned as she made a single, solid nod. “Okay…! I’ll fight you with beauty, fair and square! I’ll face off with you and win, so… don’t lose to anyone else until that day, Ann-senpai!”

“Hehe… the student becomes the rival.” Ann mused, chuckling to herself. Yet another one to watch out for on the road to being the number one model in the world… but that’s okay. Whether it was Airi, Mika, or anyone else, Ann will face them all head-on and shine like a ray of light for all to see. That was her dream, and she was going to work to make it happen…!

“Ann-chan! You’re gonna be featured during this session this time!” One of the other staff members called.

“Got it! I’ll be right there!” Ann promised. With a final wave to Airi, Ann made her way on set to do today’s photoshoot session, brimming with passionate fire.

“No way am I gonna be left behind! Time to show what I’m made of!”


End file.
